This is the first of many blogs I hope to write.
Birth photography from my husband’s point of view.
This perspective really appealed to me and so I asked my husband who was present at both my son’s births for his opinion.
This was his reply….
“As a husband I wasn’t aware that my wife wouldn’t remember the birth of our sons. Looking back now with the benefit of hindsight it seems more obvious that with the combination of pain, exhaustion, drugs and the eventual euphoria she would forget some aspects of her birth.
At the time it was happening the fact that she might not remember it never occurred to me.
Strangely, I don’t recall anyone ever mentioning that my wife might not recall parts of her birth experience either.
The point is, I wish I could turn back the clock, because if I could, I would have hired a birth photographer as a gift for my wife….”
I loved the idea my husband had about hiring a birth photographer for me as gift.
I think sometimes we can forget that its also exhausting for your husbands or partners. Watching and waiting while you and your body do this amazing thing. My husband always says how fantastic I was birthing our children. I ask him often to tell me his version of events. He admits there are elements he still remembers but a lot of it is fading as the years pass by.
Ironically, we are both photographers. Capturing these moments in our lives never occurred to us. It saddens me that I only have fragments of a memory from both my births. I regret not preserving this event photographically.
I have some vague recollections but what I’d give to be able to see those memories in photographs. Images that I could look upon whenever I wanted, and for however long I wanted.
To absorb all the details a still image can provide.
After documenting various births, I have been overwhelmed by the support I’ve witnessed from the husbands or partners. To be able to capture this kind of support has been a sheer privilege.
Birth photography is a new concept here in the UK and one I hope will grow. When deciding to hire a birth photographer it is essential that the birthing mum and her partner both want a photographer present.
It’s important they are both happy that a birth photographer will in the birthing space preserving these special moments.
After a few days, weeks, months and years you’ll be so glad you took the leap and hired me to record the extraordinary combination of love and support that surrounded your baby when it took its first breaths earth-side.
Please get in touch if hiring a birth photographer is something you’re thinking about investing in or just curious about.